First trip questions and concerns

[GotMyEarsOn]

Hi all! Regular DIS Unplugged listener who finally put two and two together that these boards could probably save my life with planning for FH and I’s first trip/honeymoon at Disneyland. We’ll be at Disneyland Resort (hope I named that right) for 2 days and DCA for 1. I can tell you WDW back and forth but have zero understanding of Disneyland. Some questions and concerns:

1) we’ll be at DLR the 16th and 18th of May. When we booked we thought we were perfect for the castle. Welllllll not looking like it now? Does anyone have any reassurances that the castle could be back by then? I’m blown away that the main icon has been down this long. Also bummed that we’ll miss the Storybook Canals

2) Hear me out here but all my expectations for DLR come from that one Disneyland sing along video from the 90s. One of the scenes has a focus on Mickey pancakes that I swear I’ve been craving for 20 years now (I’m literally not joking hahaha). However, I have never actually noticed them in any menu or video on YouTube ever. Do these actually exist and if so where can I find them and eat them?

3) We are staying at the Majestic Garden Anaheim and although it offers a bus I wondered if it would be better to Uber over? FH and I plan to get there ASAP before park opens and fit in as many things before park gets crowded mid day. Also what security entrance would we be dropped at?

4) for whatever you call the early morning thing when you have three day pass (sorry I confuse the two way too much haha) is it better to start at Fantasyland and kill all the short rides first or head to maybe Matterhorn then do that? We plan to stay away from Space because we’ve heard you’ll spend the whole morning just in that line.

5) is Lamplight Lounge worth it or should we just eat around DCA? The drinks looked cool but we don’t want to lose an hour of the park if it isn’t worth it


Thanks friends!

 

[cruisehopeful]

I only have a couple answers for you.

Do these actually exist and if so where can I find them and eat them?

According to the current Red Rose Tavern menu, you can get it here for breakfast. https://disneyland.disney.go.com/dining/disneyland/red-rose-taverne/menus/breakfast/

I'ts possible that you can also get at the restaurant in the Grand Californian, Storytellers. You may want to ask there or give them a call.

We are staying at the Majestic Garden Anaheim and although it offers a bus I wondered if it would be better to Uber over?

It's really convenient for the shuttle that they offer, but it does get full and I imagine it will especially be full first thing in the morning. If you uber, you'll have a very short ride and just have to pay the minimum charge. Lately, it's been quicker to enter in Downtown Disney first thing in the morning. It's a walk to the gate, though.

If you take the hotel shuttle, it will drop you off at the Harbor entrance. That can can fine or it can have long slow lines.

 

[friedela]

1) we’ll be at DLR the 16th and 18th of May. When we booked we thought we were perfect for the castle. Welllllll not looking like it now? Does anyone have any reassurances that the castle could be back by then? I’m blown away that the main icon has been down this long. Also bummed that we’ll miss the Storybook Canals

I can't answer any of these with any real confidence but wanted to speak to this one because I've been stalking youtube and these boards daily for any reassurance about the castle myself. We leave in a little over a week and what I know at this point is that on the DL park hours page the Sleeping Beauty Walkthrough is not off the refurb list until May 28th. Someone else had mentioned the possibility of the exterior of the castle being done sooner but nothing has been confirmed. If you want any more updates you can keep watching the park hours and see if it gets moved up at all. Maybe by your trip it'll be open but best not to get your hopes up.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Disneyland Resort (DLR) refers to the entire resort (DL, DCA, DTD). Disneyland (DL) is the name for Walt's original park.
This classic thread has lots of very good information for you: A DLR Guide for WDW Vets. It comes from this sticky from up at the top of the first page: * DLR Info/Links - Maps, Hotels, DISer Reviews, Hydroguy's tips, NEWBIE INFO here!. There is TONS of great information there to help with your trip planning!
May 17th and 18th are Grad Nites (https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2018/06/2019-disneyland-resort-grad-nite-dates-announced/), so check the hours for DCA on those nights.
Sleeping Beauty's Castle is getting a major refurbishment -- new roof, new paint, walk through refurb, etc. We had a very rainy winter, which slowed the work quite a bit, so things are finally getting back on track. The goal is to get everything done before SWGE opens. The pavement/curb in front of the castle was finished last week. So things are moving along. As the pp noted, 5/28 is the official target date, but it's not impossible that work could be done ahead of time. No promises, though. There was a lot of work that needed to be done.
From the Majestic Garden, you can take the private shuttle (full size bus) to the Harbor entrance, Uber/Lyft to either the Harbor drop off or the DTD drop off (DTD is closer to your hotel), walk to the M&F tram (about 10 minutes), or walk to the DTD bag check (about 15 minutes). You can do a search on this board for directions and/or use Google maps to follow the directions visually.
Magic Morning (MM) is the early hour entry to DL (FL and TL only) that comes with most 3+ day tickets. It happens on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. How you use your MM is really up to you -- make sure to prioritize which rides are most important to you. We don't recommend wasting your MM on PP unless you are one of the first groups in line. You can wait in that line later in the day or at night when you need the decompression time. Use the app to see when PP has a better wait time (30 minutes or less is ideal), then grab a snack and get in line. Don't use your MM for Nemo either -- huge time suck in the morning. Alice, Dumbo, Mr. Toad, etc. can be much better uses of your hour. IASW and Matterhorn have MP/FP -- and Matterhorn has SR, too -- you can use those to get rides later if you don't want to ride during MM. If you have MP, book a FP for SM during your MM -- your return time should be right after park opening. SM also has SR, so you could get repeat rides. There are threads here on how to use your MM -- a search should bring them up.
We really enjoy LL, but not everyone does. Look at the menu on the DLR website. If you only want drinks, do the standby line for upstairs. Otherwise, make a reservation using the app. Then you won't waste time in line waiting.

 

[figment_jii]

2) Hear me out here but all my expectations for DLR come from that one Disneyland sing along video from the 90s. One of the scenes has a focus on Mickey pancakes that I swear I’ve been craving for 20 years now (I’m literally not joking hahaha). However, I have never actually noticed them in any menu or video on YouTube ever. Do these actually exist and if so where can I find them and eat them?

The Red Rose Tavern has a version of the Mickey Pancakes, but they do not have the face like the ones at the River Belle used to have. They are still quite good, but not quite as cute.

5) is Lamplight Lounge worth it or should we just eat around DCA? The drinks looked cool but we don’t want to lose an hour of the park if it isn’t worth it

I really like the food at Lamplight Lounge, but it does take a bit of time.

 

[sunshiinedaydream]

We have been watching the Disney sing a long NONSTOP over here (going with a 3 and 1 yo 5/1-5/5). I also had to hunt down some Mickey pancakes. I used to always get them at River Belle but they changed that restaurant a bunch several years ago and now the pancake is $15!

Luckily they are now on the menu at Red Rose tavern at an easier price point minus the fruit And whipped cream “face”.

Years ago I ALWAYS had to get the pancakes Pooh wanted in the sing a long. I once waited in line at river belle for an hour to get one on Christmas in early 2000s.

 

[Whistlebee]

If you have a whole day at DCA you should have plenty of time to do a table service meal and everything else too. I personally really enjoy having a nice longer lunch after running around the park all morning .

 

[LizzyS]

Who in the world said you'd spend your entire MM in Space Mountain's line? That's incorrect info as I've gone to Space first several times when there was a MM when I didn't even have it and only spent 15 minutes in line. Our go-to no matter what is starting the day at Space Mountain.

 

[GotMyEarsOn]

We have been watching the Disney sing a long NONSTOP over here (going with a 3 and 1 yo 5/1-5/5). I also had to hunt down some Mickey pancakes. I used to always get them at River Belle but they changed that restaurant a bunch several years ago and now the pancake is $15!

Luckily they are now on the menu at Red Rose tavern at an easier price point minus the fruit And whipped cream “face”.

Years ago I ALWAYS had to get the pancakes Pooh wanted in the sing a long. I once waited in line at river belle for an hour to get one on Christmas in early 2000s.

The marketing team behind that video was genius. My parents would always play it for my siblings and I before we left for our WDW trips as kids. Cue my brother asking “why don’t we ever go to that big mountain?” And “why is haunted mansion not white?”. If only we knew we were watching the wrong park all that time lol

 

[GotMyEarsOn]

Who in the world said you'd spend your entire MM in Space Mountain's line? That's incorrect info as I've gone to Space first several times when there was a MM when I didn't even have it and only spent 15 minutes in line. Our go-to no matter what is starting the day at Space Mountain.

Well that’s good to know! Guess I know to many naysayers!